Never Drive Faster Than Your Guardian Angels Fly
by bnomiko
Summary: What if the dearly departed could visit the living once every five years? Unable to do anything, they can only watch… Are things better than they could've hoped for, or worse than they first appear? ShonenAi. Prideshipping SetoYami, Stepshipping NoaMokuba.
1. Ch 1: Arrival

Pairing(s): Yami x Seto (and reverse), Noa + Mokuba  
Spoilers: none  
Warnings: swearing  
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

**This is a SHONEN-AI fic (male + male romantic relationship). If you are offended by homosexual relationships, please do not read this. Flames will be disregarded.**

Setup for this fic:  
- Chronologically set after "Tastes Like Christmas Spirit."  
- Noa has been brought out of the virtual world, has a new body, and is living with Mokuba and Seto, and Yami has his own body and is separate from Yugi.  
- Ages of characters: Seto is 21, Yami is 20, Noa and Mokuba are 15.

* * *

**Never Drive Faster Than Your Guardian Angels Can Fly**

**Ch 1: Arrival**

* * *

It came only once every five years.

In a place where time had no meaning, five years could fly by in the blink of an eye… or it could crawl by, excruciatingly slow.

For a father and a mother who had left behind two young sons, "slow" could not begin to describe just how agonizing the wait was.

But soon the moment they'd been waiting for would arrive. At the stroke of midnight, on the last day of the year, they'd finally get a chance to visit the living world for a single day. To see for themselves how their sons were faring. To hopefully marvel at how grown up they'd become, how tall and how handsome… or to wail at the crumbling ruins left by adversity and a lifetime of misfortune.

* * *

The pair touched down in the middle of a long hallway, with what seemed like an endless line of doors lining both sides. If they were still alive, perhaps they would've found the number of rooms mindboggling. But they'd been there before, five years earlier, ten years earlier… and they knew better than to be impressed by the extravagance of the mansion they were in. The cost paid for it had been too high…

The woman turned slightly in the direction of Seto's old bedroom, then felt her anxiety melt away a little at the realization that he was no longer in there. The last time she'd seen her older son, he'd been in a coma, fighting for his life while his younger brother bravely tried to hold himself and their company together. She'd never figured out exactly what had happened… the doctors' reports were vague, and Mokuba's own whispered words were even more cryptic. He'd mumbled things like "darkness" and "shattered heart" as if what had taken Seto down was something supernatural, like a curse.

… Not that the previous visit had been any more promising. It had been heartbreaking, seeing Seto being forced to study to the point of exhaustion by the man who had adopted him, a man who apparently knew nothing of kindness or mercy, who thought nothing of putting a dog collar on a child and then beating him with a riding crop. And for what? Because Seto had gotten a math question wrong… one single incorrect answer out of a hundred…

It was understandable then, that she'd be nervous about the state she'd find Seto in this time.

Following the sort of instinct that only parents have, the couple quickly made their way to a pair of double doors at the end of the hallway, the entrance to the mansion's grand master suite, and phased through. What greeted them were sounds… unexpected ones. And an even more unexpected sight...

Seto certainly wasn't in a coma anymore. He was on the large bed, on his knees, gripping the headboard with both hands, his face hidden between his arms. He was moaning loudly. The lithe, wild haired man behind him was moaning even louder, grasping at Seto's hips even more tightly. They were both, quite obviously, naked and sweaty.

If the woman were capable of blushing, she would have. No mother expects to walk in on her son having sex… and certainly not with another man!

_Perhaps we should find Mokuba,_ her husband quickly suggested, more embarrassed for his wife's sake than anything.

_Ye… Yes._ She let him guide her away from the unexpected sight.

They went back down the hallway, through another wall into another bedroom, and then… the second shock of the evening – Mokuba wasn't in bed alone, either. There was another boy beside him.

_Is this… a sleepover? _she wondered aloud as she approached the bed for a closer look at the sleeping pair. But even she didn't really believe her own words, considering what she'd just witnessed with Seto. And too, there were two beds in the room, so it made no sense that Mokuba would choose to have his friend sleepover in the same bed with him...

Did Seto know about this? Was he allowing it? Did he think it was okay? Or did he not understand that Mokuba was too young to make such a decision, being only… only… 15? Was he 15 already? A teenager?

_Nearly an adult, but not quite there yet. _Perhaps Mokuba was old enough to consider dating casually, but he certainly was not old enough to be following in his brother's footsteps. Not yet, not like that…

At least both of the bed's occupants were asleep and clothed. Mokuba had an arm draped over the other teen; they were lying very close together. The woman bent down a little, studying them more carefully, and it struck her and her husband at the same time that Mokuba's… friend bore a striking physical resemblance to Seto. They had similar faces and even similar hairstyles, though this boy's hair was an unusual blue tinged green. If he were to open his eyes, would they be blue as well?

She looked at her husband, distressed. He stared back at her. Neither one said a thing for a moment, though their thoughts mirrored one another's. What was going on? Both their sons… preferred men? And not just that, but Mokuba's preference was someone who looked like Seto? It almost bordered on incest.

She'd been worried enough about her elder son. But now Mokuba was becoming just as much a concern.

Helpless, she could only drift aimlessly as her thoughts spun just as dizzily. Was she even in the right house? Had things changed so much in five years that her own children would seem to her like strangers? She shook her head sadly, feeling like a complete failure, even though there was nothing she could do… nothing she could have done, to change the situation. But she could only think… if she had lived, if her husband had lived… their sons wouldn't have ended up like this. Strangers sleeping with strangers.

And where were this green-haired teen's parents? Didn't they care about what their son was doing? Or did they not know – or not want to know – either?

_My dear…_ her husband whispered to her, finally stopping her in her tracks. She stared at him a moment, unaware that she'd been wandering the mansion like… a ghost. _At least they seem to be finished… _he added awkwardly as she took stock of where they'd ended up. Why, back in the master suite, of course.

The bed with its rumpled sheets was empty. The bathroom light was on. They could see the two young men washing up at the sink, still stark naked. Seto's back was to them.

Although it was fairly dark, they, like all spirits, could see everything clearly. They almost wished they couldn't once they noticed the thinness of Seto's body, the still present scars on his back, and the large tattoo on one shoulder. Then Seto turned and walked out of the bathroom, unwittingly walking right through the spot where his parents were hovering. He shuddered slightly, an almost imperceptible shiver, at the colder patch of air, but didn't pause to give it thought as he picked up his boxers and pajama pants off the floor, pulled them on, and quickly slid into bed. "Hurry up, Yami," he brusquely called out to his companion.

_Yami…_ The woman turned as the shorter man walked into the bedroom and began fishing for his underwear as well. For a moment time seemed to stretch indefinitely as her mind asked itself, _This man… is he… just a one-night stand? Seto, and a person like this…_

He looked nothing like the type of man she'd imagine Seto dating, if she had to imagine a boyfriend for her son. Yami was short and slender, with eyes the color of blood. His hair seemed to stick out like a porcupine's quills and was dyed so many different colors that it defied classification. He had even more tattoos than Seto, though they were all similar to the dragon borne on the brunette's back, and a piercing – also of a dragon – through his navel. And there was a thick leather collar buckled around his neck… The woman shivered as she remembered how _that man_ had tortured her son like an unwanted dog… no, like he was worse than that. But the collar Yami wore didn't seem like some instrument of punishment or humiliation, for it had Seto's name engraved across it in bold letters, as if he were proudly announcing their relationship for the whole world to see.

So Yami wasn't a one-night stand then, or worse yet, a gigolo. But that didn't make the woman feel much better. Yami was still some sort of weirdo. And he was probably only interested in money; that was how people were. Someone like him could only hurt Seto.

But Seto wasn't of the same mindset as his mother. When Yami finally climbed into bed, Seto immediately grabbed onto him, pulling him over to hug him tightly. One of Yami's arms managed to make its way up and began lightly scratching at Seto's scalp, and the taller man grunted softly as he shut his eyes and touched his forehead to his lover's.

The woman felt the sensation of her fingers twitching, as if she still had a body. She remembered petting her son's hair and putting him to bed when he was a child. And now… someone else was doing it in her stead. She was jealous, in a way. She desperately wanted to hold her son, to be able to do the things that mothers did… and yet all she could do was watch.

At the same time, she was grateful too, knowing there was someone by Seto's side, someone who cared enough to put him to bed...

Maybe… Was she was wrong about Yami then? Perhaps she'd been a bit too hasty in judging him based on his unusual exterior. And it wasn't like Seto could've brought Yami "home" to formally introduce him to her…

She looked at the shorter man again. He was beginning to nod off as well, but continued to pet Seto's hair intermittently. The harsh red eyes that had seemed so alarming at first were softer now, more of a wine or burgundy shade, and the lips that had been smirking were now pursed slightly, as if whispering endearments for only Seto to hear. Then Yami sleepily kissed Seto on the forehead, which earned him a smile from the already dozing brunette.

The corners of the woman's mouth automatically turned upwards as well, and she suddenly felt… better. She had thought that she would've been happy enough to see Seto conscious. She'd been scared to hope for anything more than that. But now… she was beginning to see possibilities. She could hardly wait for morning to come, to see what would happen once her boys were awake.

* * *

Even though it was New Year's Eve, Seto was never one to lounge about in bed. But as a concession to the holiday, he did sleep in a little, rising just before 7:00 AM. Leaving Yami sleeping soundly under a pile of blankets, Seto headed down to the kitchen – accompanied by his parents' unseen spirits – to start up breakfast. It was a nice gesture, a treat for his lover as well as his brothers… and perhaps a bargaining chip as well. Although he didn't HAVE to go in to the office, there were a few tiny things he'd like to get done… provided Yami could be made agreeable to such a thing.

Or he supposed he could just sneak off after breakfast, since Yami wasn't likely to be up anytime soon… _Sneak off, and apologize for it later…_

_Mmrgh… no… _Yami practically yawned into the young CEO's head, his mental voice sounding just as muffled as his real one would've if he were standing right there.

_No what?_

_Shush. Heard you._

A half grin twisted Seto's lips. _Well then, you better come down if you want to stop me. And go wake the boys while you're at it._

_Nnhf… _

At the same time, Seto's parents were wondering what was going on. Seto had looked like he'd been setting up to cook something. But then he had stopped, standing in place as if he'd forgotten what he was doing. Then just as abruptly, that cocky little grin had made its appearance. The ghost of it still remained even as he went back to his prep work.

But the woman did understand at least some of what was going on. _Oh, I see what he's making… Dear, did you teach him?_

_Huh… I guess I did, _her husband responded, nostalgia in his voice. He knew he hadn't done a great job raising two young boys. And he definitely hadn't been a good cook. French toast was the most complicated thing he'd ever managed. But now Seto was the one dipping slices of bread in an egg bath and laying them down on a hot skillet.

_He really does remind me of you,_ she added. Though Seto bore more of a physical resemblance to her, his mannerisms while cooking were very similar to his father's, from the stance he took in front of the range to the way he sucked his lower lip in slightly as he flipped the cooking toast.

Suddenly Seto stopped what he was doing and lifted his head. A moment later, several sets of footsteps tromped through the entrance of the kitchen, catching the attention of the two spirits. The pair had been looking forward to seeing the members of the household interacting with one another outside of their respective bedrooms. Sitting in the dark, awaiting dawn… spending that time looking at the walls or the things on the shelves or the papers stacked on desks… certainly that had given them some clue as to how things had changed – how Seto and Mokuba had changed – over the last five years. That had given them some idea of what sorts of people Noa and Yami were, too.

For example, Noa, the teen Mokuba had been in bed with… though the two spirits didn't understand the reasoning behind it, Noa had been adopted into the family by Seto. Perhaps he was a friend from their time at the orphanage, or maybe they'd met later on and discovered they had a similar past? And in a similar vein, the exact nature of his relationship with Mokuba was also a complete mystery. But regardless of how it had happened or why, he was now a Kaiba and was even involved in the family business, as the newly appointed Vice President of Technology and Development.

And as for Yami, they learned that he had been a champion Duel Monsters player. That must have been how he'd met Seto, through one of the tournaments Kaiba Corp. hosted. And the two had been dating a little over two years. Yami must've really made an impression on everyone in the household, because not only was he living in the mansion as Seto's lover, but he was also listed as Noa and Mokuba's legal guardian, alongside Seto.

But out of all the things they'd looked through, the most interesting and informative items hadn't been the documents integrating Yami and Noa into the family, but rather a couple of photo albums on Mokuba's desk. Even at first glance, the two spirits had noticed something odd about them: the albums only contained photos from approximately one and a half years ago and onwards, as if it had never occurred to anyone to take photos before that. Any photos older than had been placed in a thin folded envelope that lay beneath the front cover of one album.

Intrigued, the couple had carefully sifted through the contents of both the envelope as well as the albums themselves. Amongst the very oldest photos were a picture or two of Seto and Mokuba during their time at the orphanage, and a few more where they were a little older and dressed up for Kaiba Corp. events or gaming tournaments. Seto looked pretty stiff in most of those pictures… even when he was smiling, his eyes were shadowed and his expression strained. Mokuba on the other hand seemed almost too cheerful, as if he were trying to make up for his brother's sour mood.

But as soon as they'd turned to the photos neatly organized inside the actual albums, they'd immediately noticed a seemingly magical change in Seto's demeanor. Even in the first handful of shots, which predated the rest of the album by a month or three, Seto had already lost some of his stiffness, trading it for a sort of endearing awkwardness instead. It seemed like he'd forgotten how to control his hands. In every shot with Yami, he looked as if he couldn't decide whether to push his boyfriend away or pull him closer instead. And the expressions that flitted across his face were equally priceless… a lop sided smile, the faintest hint of a flush on pale cheeks, happiness mingling with disbelief in those crystalline eyes.

After that came a veritable explosion of photos along with an even more noticeable change in Seto's deportment. He became so much more relaxed, smiling openly, even mugging for a shot or two from time to time. And he finally became comfortable with his relationship with Yami, gladly holding his lover's hand or draping himself across the shorter man's shoulders in almost every picture, no matter the setting. Noa and Mokuba looked a lot happier and more relaxed as well, as if the burden of lifting Seto's spirits had been taken off their shoulders.

… But as grateful as the pair of spirits were to learn a bit more about who and what and how, those still images and documents full of cold facts didn't give them a real feel for individual personalities. It wasn't the same as getting to see the members of the household awake and interacting firsthand...

"Cool, Seto's making French toast!" Noa announced as he, Mokuba and a sluggish Yami entered the room and got a good look at breakfast.

"Mmmmm…" Mokuba added. He headed to the coffee maker and began filling up mugs of coffee for everyone.

"Too early," Yami complained as he shuffled over to the stove. He rested his cheek against Seto's arm as they stood shoulder to shoulder.

Seto snorted. "Oh come on, it's past 7:00," he told Yami, though he was careful to keep his movements slow to avoid jostling the younger man as he plated two servings of French toast, then motioned for his siblings to come and get them.

"Less than seven hours sleep…" Yami muttered, rubbing at his eyes, but he straightened up a bit more.

"… Which is more than adequate," Seto countered with a voice dripping with saccharin levels of sweetness. He kissed Yami on top of the head, then started making another two servings of breakfast.

Seto's mother couldn't help but take her husband's arm as they admired the scene before them, so wonderfully homey that it could've come right out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Well, mostly. Although Seto's comments towards his boyfriend were laced with a biting sort of humor, there was no mistaking the tender expression on his face or the way he nuzzled the shorter man's hair at every opportunity. And besides being the perfect boyfriend, he was the very image of the ideal big brother as well, expertly fixing a delicious breakfast which the two teens began devouring with the kind of glee that only growing boys could muster. It was all so perfect… or was it just too good to be true?

"So, uh… are you going in to the office today, Nii-sama?" Noa asked the back of Seto's head as he prepared to shovel down a bite of toast laced with so much powdered sugar and maple syrup that it was streaming off the sides in a sheet.

Seto tried to keep the wolfish grin from appearing on his face, but of course Yami caught it out of the corner of his eye. "Well… I might…" Seto muttered, deliberately refusing to meet Yami's glare. "Why, you need anything from there?"

The green-haired teen shrugged. "Nah. Just I figured I'd go with, if you were going. We're ahead of the deadline, but I wouldn't mind doing some timed tests while directly patched in to the server, to establish a processing baseline."

"And with no one there, this would be the perfect time to do that…" Seto said, pointing out the obvious. But he had stopped short of saying, "Okay, let's go."

Noa wrinkled his nose slightly, unconsciously copying the gesture from Mokuba. Clearly, he was asking the wrong adult. "Well, Yami?"

The former Pharaoh sighed. He knew he was being double-teamed, and softened up further by the hypnotically delicious scent of maple and French toast. And Seto had been more or less behaving the past week, only going down to the Kaiba Corp. building twice. "You get until noon, and not a minute more."

"Yes, Mommy," Seto responded snidely.

Yami punched him lightly in the shoulder. "I mean it. I'm tired 'n grumpy right now."

Noa chuckled. "Don't worry, Yami. We'll stop at noon."

Seto grumbled something else under his breath, and was rewarded with a second punch. He rolled his eyes, then turned his attention to Noa. After regarding the teen a moment, he asked, "So, feel like driving?"

Instantly Noa's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"If you think you're up to it, why not? No time like the present."

"I wanna come too!" Mokuba yelled. "Let me drive on the way back, please?"

"Kai-baby, they don't even have their learner's permits yet," Yami interjected even as Seto began nodding at his younger brother, an indulgent smile on his face.

"So? You had even less of a clue and I taught you to drive without getting us killed, right?" Seto taunted his lover. "Besides, there's likely to be lighter traffic today…" He shrugged, then looked at the two teens' glowing faces. "'Course, we won't be taking a sports car, so don't get too excited."

"Doesn't matter! I can't wait!" Mokuba enthused. "You're awesome, Nii-sama!"

Seto practically preened.

Yami simply sighed, accepting the fact that there were some fights that he just wasn't going to win. "Noon," he reminded the trio. "Lunch will be ready by the time you get back. And remember, Yugi-tachi will be over tonight…"

"Freeloaders," Seto said dismissively, but he was still smiling. He didn't really mean it; he just couldn't help himself. But just in case Yami was thinking of protesting anyway, the young billionaire quickly loaded up another plate with a double portion of French toast and handed it to his boyfriend. "Here. Don't talk – go eat." He began guiding Yami towards the available barstools at the island.

_Or we can do both…_ the former Pharaoh pointed out as he sat down and began pouring syrup all over his side of the plate.

_Huh. Thought I heard someone talking at me, but that's not possible since I told someone to SHUT UP and eat._

_Oh? Then, I guess you can't hear this._ Yami dipped a finger in the sticky golden syrup and licked it off slowly while making an exaggerated slurping sound, then began groaning as he smacked his lips together. Seto just stared at him. Mokuba and Noa stared at both men in turn.

"I didn't know breakfast came with free entertainment. Not that I want to watch," Mokuba muttered as Yami dipped his forefinger into the syrup again only to let Seto take over on clean up duty. With his tongue, of course.

"I'm so tempted to dump a glass of cold water on you both," Noa grumbled. "Except I want to live," he hastily added as Seto began glaring at him over Yami's shoulder.

"Keep your pants on. We'll leave in a little bit," Seto growled, though it came out muffled since Yami's fingertip was still resting on his lips.

"MY pants aren't the problem here," Noa shot back.

Despite the laughter that sprung up amongst the quartet at the comment, Seto's mother had to turn away from the scene. She couldn't help feeling a little disappointed in Yami. What was he thinking, shamelessly making such lewd gestures in front of Mokuba and Noa? She couldn't imagine acting like that with her husband in the presence of others, _especially_ minors! And Seto wasn't exactly innocent either. He should have immediately stopped as soon as the boys made it clear that they were uncomfortable with the whole situation. And yet, neither Yami nor Seto seemed to care about that. Didn't they realize how irresponsible they were being?

She suddenly realized it had grown quiet… almost too quiet. Reluctantly she peeked back, then gave a sigh of relief. They'd all gone back to eating, with Seto and Yami apparently content with dining off the same plate.

_It seems like it was so long ago when we were teenagers,_ the man beside her sighed, as if he'd been equally unrestrained when he was a young man.

She frowned. _It's not funny. He's… _She shook her head, remembering that Seto was already 21. _He's not a teenager anymore. He has to be responsible. The way they were behaving… he should know better than to act like that. Who knows what ideas Mokuba might have gotten from it? He has to think about that._

_Yes, I know… But I'm just glad to see him laughing, that's all, _the man responded. Then, a little more soberly, he added, _Seto was always very mature, very serious, even when he was little. But I don't remember… seeing him happy, after you passed away. So I guess I'm more relieved than anything else. _

_Even though he is behaving like this with another man?_ She made a slight gesture at the island, at Seto licking a spot of powdered sugar right off Yami's mouth.

_My dear… is that what's been bothering you?_

_Doesn't it bother you? _

_I too would prefer he be with a woman, but… _

_More than that… I just want what's best for him. Even if he is only interested in men… I'm still unsure about this Yami fellow. Seto's so smart and handsome and successful; I think he could do much better…_

The man looked back over at the quartet. If he hadn't died in that car accident, would that have changed anything? Or would his sons have been queer anyway? Would he have exchanged angry words with his older son over his orientation? Would he even have had the right? He had been home so little when Seto was growing up…

_I know what I think… what I want, doesn't matter. We can't change anything,_ the woman admitted. _But it is a parent's duty to worry…_ She glanced over at Mokuba and Noa, who were both now dancing around the island urging Seto and Yami to eat faster so they could go for their driving lesson, and sighed.

_Unfortunately, I think we will be performing our parental duty a lot today, _the man added as he caught sight of the same scene his wife had. His sigh joined hers.

* * *

In a way, even a workaholic like Seto was grateful for holiday breaks. The building was so quiet… there were no phones ringing, no copiers shuttling, no scurrying of footsteps or mumbled pleas for his attention. It meant he could get some real work done, without train of thought-wrecking interruptions.

Of course he wasn't completely alone. There was always a very minimal skeleton crew in the building, mostly maintenance and security. And Mokuba and Noa were in the semi-renovated office space next to his. But they were busy too, with their own projects. And they knew how to work with a minimum of fuss or noise.

Unbeknownst to the young CEO, there were an additional pair of guests tagging along, but since they didn't make any discernable noise, it was like they weren't there at all.

Time sped by and before Seto knew it, his brothers were lightly knocking on his door and reminding him of his promise to Yami. So they packed up their things while chatting about how productive their morning had been, and headed down to the black Mercedes sedan waiting in the parking garage.

"Okay, Mokuba. Ready for this?" Seto asked, dangling the shining light of freedom for all teenagers, otherwise known as the car keys.

The black-haired teen was practically drooling. "YES!"

Seto smiled and tossed the keys over the roof of the car. "Let's go."

Just like everything else had been that morning, the drive home was surprisingly smooth. Like Noa, Mokuba took instruction very well – which wasn't a surprise at all to Seto since he had full confidence in them both. He even felt comfortable enough to start up a discussion about what sorts of cars they were thinking of getting. Mokuba wanted something fast of course, but Noa seemed a little more uncertain. Not that he was being practical either... he wanted something unusual and eyecatching, rather than fast. Or safe.

They reached the second to last stoplight before the house and Mokuba slowly braked as the light turned from yellow to red. He probably would've made it through if he had floored it, but since it was his first time behind the wheel of an actual car, he figured it was better to play it safe. Plus, Seto would disapprove of him driving like… well, Seto.

Everything should have been fine. Mokuba had made the right decision. But suddenly there was the crunching of metal, and the car lurched…

* * *

TBC

Author's Notes: 

- Ahhh, damn it. This was supposed to be a one shot. Heck, this story wasn't supposed to happen at all! Argh...  
- Re: "He was now a Kaiba" being used to describe Noa. Of course Seto's parents don't know that Noa was a Kaiba by birth. Not that I ever decided how his legal documents and such were altered so that Noa would legally exist  
- Some references from previous stories, as a refresher: The French toast is a reference from "Food for Thought" (Seto and Yami "dueled" by making French toast, and Seto won). The photo albums Seto's parents were going through first appeared in "The Boys of Summer." Yami decided that the best birthday gift they could get Mokuba were photos of Seto having fun on vacation, because Mokuba had told him, "If Seto has a good time, that'll be the best [birthday] gift of all." And Seto teaching Yami to drive, that's from "Mint Car."


	2. Ch 2: Layover

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

* * *

**Never Drive Faster Than Your Guardian Angels Can Fly**

**Ch 2: Layover**

* * *

"What the fuck?!" Seto screamed a split second after impact. He grabbed the rear view mirror and wrenched it in his direction so he could find out who was to blame for what just happened. Someone had rear-ended them. While Mokuba was driving. Someone was going to pay dearly for their carelessness.

_Seto?! What hap…_

_Get back to you in a sec,_ Seto tersely told Yami as he narrowed his eyes at the guilty party behind them.

It turned out to be a carload of teens or young adults, not any older than he. Four of them to be precise, all with shocked expressions and their mouths open in an O. The driver was a kid with shaggy purple hair. He looked the most freaked out of them all.

"Everyone all right?" Seto quickly asked his brothers while his eyes bore holes into the other driver's skull via the mirror. The guy was practically shriveling in his seat, as if he could feel the anger being directed towards him.

"Yeah. We're okay," Noa answered, though he didn't sound a hundred percent convinced, even to his own ears. _Weird. It was just a little bump..._ He knew that. And yet he found his arms locked against the seat in front of him, as if he'd been bracing for a bigger impact.

"You sure?" Seto asked suspiciously, his voice rough.

Noa took a deep breath and forced himself to shed whatever niggling concerns he had. They were all in one piece. They were fine. He wasn't going to let his old fears control him. "Yes." Sensing the explosion that was imminent, he added, "I bet their car got it worse," but all he got in response was a rumbling growl that sounded more animal than human.

"Yeah…" Mokuba's voice was slightly shakier. After all, he was the one behind the wheel. He legally shouldn't have been there. But he kept his head and kept his foot down firmly on the brake, instead of swiveling around like an idiot. It was hardly the worst situation he'd been in. Hell, he'd been at the controls of a crashing plane before… Thinking of it that way, a fender bender really was nothing in comparison.

Seto gave up on trying to glare the driver down through the mirror and instead threw the door open to get out. "Throw it in park, remember the parking brake, and stay put," he told Mokuba as he began climbing out the passenger side door.

The sight of an angry, 6'1" CEO emerging from the Mercedes S550 sedan caused the other driver to instantly – and unwisely – panic. Before Seto even had the chance to take a step towards it, the other car backed up, then shot over into the turn lane before speeding off down the intersecting street.

"Come back here you fucker! Face me like a man!" the brunette shouted after the car, but it was obviously too late to do anything about it, other than scream obscenities. Seto certainly let loose a long, loud string of them, much to the chagrin of other passing motorists. But, as he had said earlier, the traffic was fairly light, so he only managed to offend a half dozen people, all of whom gave the crazy man standing in traffic a wide berth.

"Well, at least I got his license plate number," Noa hollered out the window during a lull in Seto's tirade. He was proud that he'd had the presence of mind to do that much. _Fucking hit and run drivers… _

"Yeah, I saw it too," Seto yelled back, the anger in his voice beginning to dissipate a little. That didn't mean he was over it though. The desire for revenge burned on in his eyes.

"So how bad's the damage?'"

"Dunno. Lemme take a look," Seto responded before heading for the back bumper.

_Seto?_ It was Yami again, sounding more cautious than before.

_Ah. Yeah, sorry. A lot's on my mind. Someone rear-ended us and bolted. We're okay at least._

_Oh…_

_The damage isn't terrible, but I'm… pretty pissed,_ Seto admitted as he inspected the rear of the vehicle. At least the bumper had done its job, crumpling slightly like it needed to to absorb the impact. He picked off a few flakes of paint, and grimaced. What bad luck for Mokuba to have an accident his first time driving! He still couldn't believe the guy took off like that, and why did it get chilly all of a sudden? He could feel it right through his sweater and coat. _We're real close to home. I'll see you in a few minutes, 'kay?_

_All right. Be careful._

Seto nodded reflexively, even though Yami couldn't see it, then headed over to the driver's side of the car. Mokuba opened the door a crack. "You wanna drive the rest of the way?" the black-haired teen asked. He could've handled it, but Seto had a look on his face like he needed the reassurance of being behind the wheel himself.

"Yeah, I think I should."

Mokuba inclined his head slightly. But rather than get out, he pulled his feet up from under the steering column, then swung his coltish legs over the central console. "Okay, all yours," he said to Seto once he resituated himself in the passenger's seat.

As Seto shifted the car back into drive, his parents gave a collective sigh of relief and prepared to start trailing the trio again. They had anticipated an accident the moment the other driver turned to talk to his buddies and allowed his car to start sliding forward, but hadn't been able to warn their sons about the impending danger, no matter how loudly they yelled.

_They're okay. At least they're okay, _the woman chanted, as if that would ward off any future accidents. _I know that, but still…_

_I know. The sound of an impact like that… isn't something easily forgotten,_ her husband quietly replied.

She looked at him, but didn't say a word. Some small, selfish, lonely part of her had been glad when her husband had quickly joined her in the afterlife, but that wasn't the fate she wanted for her children. She wanted them to live long lives.

Now that she thought about it, perhaps it was that fear that had made the accident seem a thousand times worse than it really was. She looked again at the damaged bumper she and Seto had simultaneously examined earlier and realized… why, it really wasn't that bad at all.

Almost more alarming was just how badly Seto had reacted to the situation. He'd spent a good minute cursing up a storm and swearing vengeance on the occupants of the other car, all while standing in the middle of the roadway. The woman could understand why he'd been upset, with the scare and the damage done to his vehicle, but his reaction had seemed a bit… much.

At least he appeared to be calming down, just a little bit. Or perhaps he had turned his anger inward instead, like a pressure cooker, as his body still showed obvious signs of tension. He had fallen into a profound silence. His knuckles were turning white on the steering wheel; he was gritting his teeth. He was taking the turns just a hair faster than he should have, though it was clear from the way his foot twitched against the gas pedal that he was having to restrain himself from going a lot faster.

His mood was affecting everyone else in the car as well. Mokuba stared thoughtfully at Seto, but remained mute as well, seeming to understand that conversation was not something the elder Kaiba would welcome. Noa was tinkering with something on his laptop; whether it was because he was busy or because it was an easy way to avoid having to talk, the woman wasn't sure.

It wasn't until they pulled up in front of the mansion that she finally understood just how upset Seto really was.

Yami was standing there, waiting, just under the eaves of the porte-cochere, as if he had somehow known that things had gone badly on the drive home. Perhaps he had. The two spirits were beginning to notice that Seto and Yami seemed unusually attuned to one another, almost as if they were of one mind. But that was something they'd have to explore later, when things slowed down enough to allow them the time needed to discuss the matter.

As soon as the driver's side door opened, Yami ran over and gave his boyfriend a hug that was only partially reciprocated, then turned to the two teens that were getting out of the car. "You boys sure you're all right? No headaches, nothing sore?" he queried, sounding a bit worried mother hen-ish.

Mokuba gave the crimson-eyed man a nod and a smile, one that his mother recognized from the old photos in the envelope. It was the same smile that Mokuba used to paste onto his face to distract everyone from Seto's sour moods. "We're fine. It wasn't that bad, I guess. Just a bump. I think the other guy just took his foot of the brake and rolled into us."

"Rolled into us and then took off," Noa groused. He still had his laptop partially open, even though it was tucked under his arm.

Seto grunted, then glanced at Yami, as if he'd just noticed him standing there. His eyes narrowed a little as he began considering his options, then suddenly… "Get in. We're going for a ride," he ordered.

"Nii-sama?" Mokuba breathed, confused.

The former Pharaoh blinked. "Wait… huh? Now? But lunch…"

"Lunch can wait. Let's go." He slid into the car and quickly started up the engine again, revving it to hurry his lover along.

Yami stood stupefied a moment longer. Then he leaned down slightly to gaze questioningly at Seto in the driver's seat of the black sedan before straightening up and looking back at the two teens. "Um… lunch is in the oven. It's almost done. Once the timer goes off, I guess… just serve yourselves?"

Seto tapped the horn.

Yami ignored it. "I'm really relieved you're both okay," he told Noa and Mokuba. He reached out an arm to hug each of them in turn.

"Thanks Yami," the pair chorused as he released them.

The horn sounded again, two quick beeps this time. Yami turned his head slightly to see Seto glowering at him through the glass.

"You better go before he pisses himself," Noa suggested. "Either that, or tell him to fuck off."

Yami sighed, shaking his head. "Noa… don't say that."

The green-haired teen just smiled angelically, then practically jumped as Seto began really laying on the horn. "Fu… frickin' hell!"

Yami rolled his eyes, but turned around and climbed into the car anyway. The Mercedes immediately took off like a rocket, chirping around the bend, before the younger man had even finished securing his seatbelt.

"Damn, he is reallly pissed off…" Mokuba muttered as the car quickly disappeared down the long drive towards the front gate.

"Wait 'til I finish tracking the license plate of the guy who hit us. Then we'll really see fireworks. I hope Seto rips that asshole a new one."

* * *

There was no choice; they had to split up. The man elected to stay behind at the mansion with their younger son and his adopted brother which meant his wife would be the one frantically keeping pace with their older son and his boyfriend. And frantic was the right word… Seto was driving so erratically, so aimlessly… If he got himself into another accident, it wouldn't be a surprise.

For several minutes the brunette seemed to be following no particular path, turning here, turning there, until he ended up near the freeway. He ended up taking the onramp heading north.

"Where are we going?" Yami asked as Seto quickly merged all the way over into the fast lane.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it does. Kai-baby, I know you're upset, but this isn't helping."

Seto merely snorted, then leaned back in his seat slightly, slipped his hand under his seatbelt, and began fumbling with something. Yami wasn't quite sure what he was doing until he heard the sound of a zipper being unzipped. "You wanna help, suck me off," Seto said, casually pulling his length out of his pants.

"WHAT? Here? NOW?!"

"What's the problem? You did it before."

Yami's face suddenly colored slightly as he recalled the events of that rainy Sunday morning, on the way to the airport. _What the hell was I thinking? _"It was a terrible idea then, and it's a terrible idea now!"

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to die in a fiery wreck just because you're pissed off right now!"

"We won't die," Seto haughtily assured him. "Or is it that you don't trust me?"

"Of course I trust you! You know that. But I…"

"Then prove it." The young CEO gave his semi-hard member a few tugs. "Come on. Do it."

Yami growled, but went ahead and pushed the shoulder strap of the seatbelt away, twisting in his seat and leaning over the center console. There wasn't even the illusion that they were doing this because it was fun or wild or kinky, but he'd seen the look in Seto's eyes, and that's what had decided him. His lover was on the verge of losing it. He looked like he wanted to murder someone. That's how angry he was. But he'd been trying to force it down without considering that there was no outlet of any kind and Yami dreaded what the explosion would be like if some of the tension wasn't wicked away.

And more than that, he understood how Seto operated. He was feeling a loss of control, which was something he never dealt well with. Taking hold of the car himself, speeding, acting recklessly… some people would see that as a sign of brash, youthful cockiness, or pure stupidity. They'd be partially right in the sense that it wasn't the smartest thing to do. But there was so much more to it than that. Seto needed to be in control. That was how he'd survived. It was what made him successful. It would not do to blunt that edge he had honed.

But there were only a couple of people who understood Seto Kaiba the way the former Pharaoh did and unfortunately Seto's mother wasn't one of them, not anymore, not with a whole lifetime of experiences separating them.

Mortified, the woman could only look away as Yami's head disappeared into Seto's lap. She wasn't sure what either man was trying to prove with such an insane stunt. Bad enough that her son was driving too fast with no real destination, in a car that had already seen one accident that day. But to do that while engaging in _very_ distracting sexual activities… it was suicidal!

Why was Seto tempting death? Did he really have no concept of where his choices could lead? And why did Yami give in when he was so obviously aware of the danger they were in?

She wondered if she would've been better off remaining at the mansion and leaving the task of looking after their older son to her husband. Not that he would've approved of such risky behavior either, but he seemed to accept Seto's relationship with Yami in a way that she could not. Of course she still loved her son. She wanted him to be happy. But if being with Yami meant that Seto would come to harm, then she couldn't accept it.

However, acceptance or not… that didn't change the fact that she was a ghost. And that was the crux of the problem. She couldn't do anything about it – talk to him, explain things to him, ask him for his thoughts and feelings. She could only watch…

Or in this case, not watch.

As much as she tried to ignore it, she couldn't block out the sound of Seto's harsh breathing or Yami's guttural grunts. Oh, she could have left or at least given them enough distance to go about their business in private, but she was unwilling to do so. If things were going to end catastrophically like she feared, she had to be there for him. It was the only thing she could do as a mother.

And then just like that, it was all over. To her chagrin, she looked back too quickly and caught sight of Yami wiping off his bottom lip with the back of his hand while Seto shifted in his seat and stuffed his exposed manhood back into his pants. She shook her head slowly. She wasn't ever going to get used to the idea of her son, and this man…

"Ah, perfect timing," Seto suddenly said. He sounded so pleased she had to take a look at what he was referring to.

The GPS on the dashboard had suddenly lit up with an address and directions.

* * *

"Well, it's up to him what he wants to do with that info," Noa announced, pushing away from his laptop a little. It wasn't difficult for him to hack into other systems, even government ones, but it was still tedious work.

Mokuba sighed. He'd been ambivalent about whether or not they should provide Seto with the information he'd clearly been dying to receive. "I hope he doesn't overreact," he said as visions of Seto punching out the other driver danced through his mind.

"I hope he does," Noa said viciously. Seeing the startled look on his boyfriend's face, he quickly amended that to, "Well, I don't mean I want him to overreact. But I sure hope he makes the guy pay for what he did, and then some."

"Why? It wasn't THAT bad. And I don't want him going to jail over it!"

"Maybe it wasn't that bad _this_ time…"

Mokuba blinked, then suddenly lowered his head a little, ashamed of himself. "Oh… that's right. I'm sorry, I totally forgot," he said softly. He'd been so worried about Seto that it had totally escaped his mind. A hit and run… That's how Noa had died years ago. That was what led to the virtual world, to Mokuba stuffing a hard drive under his shirt as they'd escaped, to Noa magically getting a second chance at living. That just made his life all the more precious…

A hand alighted on the black-haired teen's head.

"It's okay. I don't really think about it anymore anyhow." Noa sighed. Mokuba looked at him, cautiously, but Noa was being truthful – it was old news. He'd had a lot of time to agonize over it in the virtual world, to ponder all the what ifs, to finally accept it because that was the only thing he could do. But at the same time, if some dickhead was going to rear end them and flee, then he needed to be taught a lesson, pure and simple.

Mokuba reached out and hugged him, then kissed him lightly on the lips. Mostly it was to make Noa feel better, but it helped him feel better too.

"I know. It'll be okay," Noa said when they parted. He'd felt the slight tremor in Mokuba's lips and understood the reasons behind it. But he didn't mind… he liked knowing he could make his boyfriend feel better. It made the whole situation much more tolerable.

"Thanks," Mokuba whispered back, a small smile appearing on his face.

They sat in a companionable silence a minute longer, then Noa finally decided they'd spent enough time thinking. "So, um… I don't know about you, but I'm still kinda hungry, and lunch was really good. Wanna go polish it off?"

Mokuba couldn't help but laugh. As a change of topic, it was masterful. His stomach agreed. "Sounds good!"

* * *

The directions Noa had sent led Seto and Yami to a very average looking neighborhood. Kids were playing on snow dusted lawns and there were a few adults out too, walking dogs or clearing driveways. Something about it reminded Seto a little of the neighborhood where he once lived with his family. It all seemed so perfectly normal and safe, but the young billionaire knew better than to be deceived by appearances.

He parked just across the street from the address he'd been given. But in this case, he didn't even need that information for confirmation. The vehicle that had hit them was sitting in the driveway, in plain sight. Seto felt his mouth twist into a scowl as he went to get out of his car. He felt his hands tighten into fists. Anger and adrenaline had always mixed well for him.

"Wait…"

"Yami, don't even start," Seto warned his boyfriend. He was not going to be talked out of confronting the driver of the other vehicle, no matter what.

_I know you're angry; I understand that, but just… don't do anything that I wouldn't do, _Yami quickly warned him as the young CEO jogged across the street.

_You told me you trusted me earlier. Don't go changing your mind now, _Seto volleyed back.

_Kai…_

_Enough!_

The garage at the top of the short driveway was open. There was an older man puttering around inside. Seto momentarily debated whether or not to involve him, then realized there'd be no way to pretend he simply didn't notice him.

"Yes?" the man asked, when he looked up and saw the tall duelist standing there, staring at him.

Seto didn't waste any time getting to the point. "Where's the guy who was driving this car a little while ago?"

The man stared at him a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face, then he murmured, "Oh, I see… He told me he had hit a pole in the parking lot by his younger brother's job."

Seto forced down the urge to simply start yelling at the man for believing such a story, given that the damage wasn't consistent with that explanation. "More like he rear ended my car and then sped off."

"I'm very sorry…" the man began saying.

"I don't care."

"He's my son… I'll pay for…"

Seto ground his teeth. Was the man stupid or what? "I don't give a fuck if he's your fairy godmother. Where. Is. He??"

The man wavered. He was probably thinking that Seto looked like the type who'd hit first and worry about consequences later...

Seto would never find out if the man would've given in or not, as the driver of the vehicle suddenly came running out of the house, his face pale.

"Oh man… Why're you here?" the purple-haired young man blurted out. When Seto turned the full force of his glare on him, he nervously stammered, "Well, what I mean is… how'd you…"

Seto smirked at him quite nastily. "If you're going to hit and run, you ought to start running before the other party has the chance to write down your license plate number. Or better yet, don't hit people with photographic memories and legal teams that can bury you."

"Dude, I didn't mean to! I didn't know what else to do! 'Cause, like… when I saw you getting out of the car, I just freaked. I mean, you're like, Seto Kaiba…"

"Not like. I AM," Seto snarled irritably. The idiot was like an even less intelligent version of the Mutt, if that were possible.

It was strange, Seto's mother mused, as the other young man made a distressed sound. Her son and the other driver were probably about the same age. But the other boy seemed so immature, almost childish, while Seto came across as being much older… and far more wild. There was a smoldering rage in him, clouding his eyes and tensing his body, that was truly frightening to behold. She couldn't imagine facing it herself.

"You… you gonna call the cops on me? Please don't call the cops, man," the other driver whined, sounding younger and younger by the second. "Oh… shit, this is so gonna fuck up my insurance…"

"What, that's all you care about? You're worried about the trouble you're in, what this might cost you, but don't give a shit if anyone was hurt because of your carelessness? My brothers were in that car with me! I ought to tear your face off just for that!" Seto roared, his hand rising up on its own accord to close itself around the other man's jacket collar.

The other driver cowered and tried to pull back. "Sorry! I'm sorry. My little bro was with me too, ya know?"

"You should be sorry! And you should be apologizing to him too, you piece of shit. What kind of brother are you?!"

"Are… are your brothers all right?" the other driver's father quickly asked, the concerned tone of his voice dampening Seto's anger a little.

"They're shaken up. You better hope that's all," the tall duelist growled, shaking the other young man a little before he finally realized what he was doing. He released the other driver after a final warning shake, then turned to evaluate the father. Was the older man just trying to distract him? Was his concern only for his kid? Or did he really mean it?

The older man suddenly bowed down, deeply. "I'm very, very sorry. I'm relieved that no one was injured, in either car." Then he glanced over at his stupefied son before grabbing the younger man's arm and pulling him down into a bowing position as well. "Please… accept our apologies. I'll pay for the damages."

Seto glared at the kowtowing man. "I don't want YOUR apologies or your money! You weren't even there!"

"Yes, I know," the older man acknowledged. "But it was my car. And my son was in the wrong. So as his father, I feel partially responsible."

"Why?"

"Isn't that how fathers are?"

A dark shadow flitted across Seto's face. He was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable. He couldn't help but think that Gozaburo also would've offered to pay had he been in the same situation, though he would've taken it out of his hide right after. He didn't know if that was the type of person this man was, and he didn't want to know. So instead of saying any of the various things that drifted through the depths of his mind, he simply grunted, "I just want my car fixed. I don't care how."

The purple-haired man lifted his gaze a little. "I… I really am sorry, man. I've never been in an car accident before, ya…"

"Shut up," Seto snapped.

"I'll take care of it. Please…" the father begged.

Seto wouldn't have minded making them sweat some more, but honestly, he just wanted to leave. He was sick of listening to the simpering son and dealing with his baffling father. They were making his head hurt. He just wanted to go home and be with his brothers. So he relented. "All right. We'll make a deal…"

As Seto began writing up a payment contract with practiced precision, his mother's spirit drifted away a little. The distance between them – physically, emotionally – seemed almost insurmountable. Now that she thought about it, it really had been ten years since she last saw her older son; he'd been in a coma five years earlier, so that hadn't really counted. She hadn't been able to see his personality then. He really wasn't her sweet little boy anymore, or even the young victim of Gozaburo's insanity. He'd grown up. But she just wasn't sure what to think of the man he'd become. And that uncertainty – and the ensuing guilt – sat in her heart like a pair of lead weights. On one hand, he was very successful and was a wonderful big brother; it looked like he'd done his best to keep his promise to take care of Mokuba. But on the other, he was wildly unpredictable, with major anger management issues. It was just like watching a car careening out of control and knowing that nothing could be done to stop it on its path to self-destruction. She cursed that knowledge. And yet, at the same time, she was a tiny bit grateful that the veil across her eyes had been lifted. It was unfair for her to expect Seto to be someone he wasn't when she hadn't been there to shape him and guide him in his life. And, she was sure, he was trying to live his life the best that he could. At least now, perhaps she could try accepting the person he was, instead of the idealized version she wished he had become.

* * *

The young CEO thought he'd feel at least a little better, but he didn't. Something just felt… off. It didn't fully occur to him what it was until he briskly walked back to his car, slid into the driver's seat, and noticed that Yami was staring out the passenger side window instead of looking in his direction.

"Don't worry, I took care of everything. The kid's old man agreed to pay for the damage. If they don't, then I'll happily sue them for what they owe me… or let the police and insurance deal with it, whichever they fear more," Seto reported, but he wasn't sure if Yami was even paying attention. "Are you listening to me?"

No response.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Seto asked.

"What's wrong?" Yami huffed, his head snapping around, his eyes blazing. He looked like he was trying to decide whether to just blurt it all out, or to keep stewing over it even longer. The former won out. "We've been out riding around – recklessly – most of the afternoon. Then you leave me sitting in the car – with no keys, I might add, which means no heat, no radio – while you run off like an idiot to threaten someone over a scratch on the bumper, right after yelling at me. We didn't even get a chance to eat lunch, and I'm _starving,_ and Yugi and the others will start showing up at 5:00 and I haven't even begun getting ready for that yet!"

For a moment, Seto just blinked at his lover. Yami rarely got mad at him over such… trivial matters. The brunette was just itching to take up the fight, but then something in the back of his head told him, _He's this irritated because you dragged him into it. Because your bad mood is affecting his. _He shook his head slightly. "Come on, don't be mad. You know why I had to come out here…"

"Don't be mad?! That's rich, coming from you!"

"What, doesn't it bother you that someone hit my car while Mokuba and Noa were in it?!"

"Of course it bothers me! It scared the crap out of me! You know that, so why would you ask such a stupid thing? You think I was standing outside, waiting for you, because I was bored?? Do you really think I don't care?"

Seto looked away for a second, fighting down his own rising agitation as it sought to keep pace with Yami's. He didn't want to get mad, not over this. Mokuba and Noa were okay. And he had no reason to fight with Yami, especially since he had to grudgingly admit to himself that the shorter man had made some good points. In his zeal to get revenge, he hadn't been considerate of Yami's feelings or plans at all.

"I… I didn't mean it like that. I know you care. I'm just… I had to do something, you know?" Seto lamely explained as Yami's gaze continued to bore into him. He sighed, then tried grabbing for an olive branch to help smooth things over. "Look, since you're hungry, how about we head for a drive through or something? What would you like?"

"I would _like_ to go home and eat the lunch I worked hard to prepare!"

"Yam…"

"Are you going to start driving or do I have to do it myself?" Yami snapped.

Seto thought of saying something else, but he couldn't think of anything appropriate. Yami continued glaring at him a moment longer as if confirming that he'd made himself clear, then turned away to resume staring out the window.

Seto took a deep breath and let it out in a silent sigh. He needed to think of something he could do to make things right. Driving actually wasn't a bad idea; it'd give him time to think at least. So mutely, he started up the car, then with one last glance at the back quarter of his boyfriend's head, he began heading home.

* * *

TBC

Author's Notes:  
- Y'all didn't really think that I'd hurt them, did you??  
- Reference from previous story, as a refresher: The previous incident Yami mentioned (on a rainy Sunday morning) took place in a fic aptly titled "Sunday Morning" : p  
- I did take into consideration the fact that: 1) Mokuba is not only an underaged driver, but doesn't even have his permit yet, 2) Even if Mokuba had his permit, Seto is too young to accompany him as his "instructor." 3) The other driver recognized Seto and saw him get out of the passenger's seat, thus knew he was not driving. And Seto mentioned his brothers were in the car, so it's pretty clear who was driving, even if one of the people in the other car didn't actually see or recognize him. So it's logical to wonder why the driver / his father would agree to pay off the damages so easily, instead of trying to mitigate it through the legal system. However, I think if the other driver's father had the opportunity to make the problem "go away" by paying for the damage done, he'd take it; who'd want to get into a legal battle with someone like Seto? Even if he won, it'd probably be far more of a headache and cost a lot more... and it would be unlikely that he'd walk away scot-free, as it was a hit and run.


	3. Ch 3: Departure

Disclaimer: Lucky Charms is a product of General Mills. Taboo is a product of Hasbro, Inc. Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.

* * *

**Never Drive Faster Than Your Guardian Angels Can Fly**

**Ch 3: Departure**

* * *

As the Mercedes slowly pulled back into the roundabout at the end of the driveway, the only "family member" waiting to greet the silent pair of occupants was the little bay pony, Kuriboh. Seto paused to give his pet his customary greeting, a scratching of the mane right behind the ears, but Yami practically stomped from the car and into the house without even looking in his direction.

The taller man winced slightly. He'd hoped that his boyfriend would've cooled off a little on the drive back, but apparently he was still as mad as ever. He supposed he'd better talk to him or think of something to set things right. So he slowly followed Yami into the house, trailing him to the kitchen where there should've been some lunch waiting.

He found Yami with his head buried in the fridge. There was a sauteuse atop a trivet sitting on the counter, but it had been cleaned out. Part of Seto's brain told him that he should ask Yami if something was wrong; the other, stupider half was tempted to grab the ass that was sticking out of the refrigerator.

"Oh hey, I thought I heard you guys come in. So is everything okay?" Mokuba inquired as he wandered into the kitchen.

Seto nodded, but Mokuba barely seemed to notice his response. Instead, the black-haired teen had begun staring in Yami's direction as soon as the former Pharaoh straightened up.

"Yami… you okay?" Mokuba asked a little tentatively. Yami had the strangest look on his face. It was so foreign, it didn't seem to want to settle into place.

Yami blinked once, slowly. "Where's my lunch?"

Mokuba gave a glance at the empty pan. "Ah… you mean the casserole thing?" He looked down at the floor for a moment, then said, "You know how sometimes something is sooo good that you wish you could eat more of it?"

"I wouldn't know, considering I didn't get to taste it," Yami said in a dry monotone.

Mokuba gave a helpless shrug, then blurted out, "It's not like we didn't wait for you! I mean, we didn't eat the rest until like a half hour ago..."

Yami suddenly began to laugh, but it wasn't his normal laugh. In fact, it reminded Mokuba a bit of Seto's laugh, the crazy sounding one that had him throwing his head back…

Good thing the black-haired teen was accustomed to walking amongst lions. He shook his head at himself, then approached Yami and wrapped his arms around the shorter man's chest. "I'm really sorry. I figured… well, that you'd get something to eat while you were out. And your cooking is so good – I couldn't help myself!"

"My oysters…" Yami managed to wheeze.

"Jeez, Yami…" Seto muttered. He was a little alarmed that his lover was losing it over missing lunch – it wasn't like he cackled insanely whenever he skipped a meal – but considering everything else that had happened, he supposed he couldn't blame him.

"Oysters, Baby. For you. You know…?"

Seto just stared at him. Yami was barely making any sense, but then again, it was amazing he managed to get six words out while not taking in oxygen. "We don't need aphrodisiacs."

"Oh gross," was Mokuba's immediate knee jerk response. But he continued to hold on to Yami because he could feel the man shaking in his arms, whether from the laughter or something else, he wasn't sure. He squeezed just a little tighter, then asked softly, "Are you still mad at me?"

It seemed an eternity before Yami began calming down, enough to shake his head, just a little. Mokuba found himself letting out his breath in relief.

"… I'm so hungry," Yami finally mumbled against Mokuba's arm.

"I know. I'm sorry."

Seto barely heard his brother's apology. Instead, he heard Yugi's voice in his head, telling him, _You better grab him._

_What?_

"No, I mean…" Yami shifted slightly. "I think my… blood sugar's crashing."

Mokuba had wondered why Yami seemed to be listing in his arms. "OH. Uh… let's see. We still have orange juice, right? Or um…" He mentally rummaged through the contents of the fridge, trying to think of what else he could offer.

"Anything will do. Here." Seto stepped in close and took a hold of Yami's arm, quickly guiding him to a seat at the kitchen table. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed his boyfriend's condition himself, that he'd needed Yugi to alert him… "What do you want to eat?"

Feeling more irritated than ever, Yami began to get up almost as soon as he sat down. "I'll go get…"

"No, you won't," Seto insisted.

"Fucking hell, I'm not an invalid – and would you stop ordering me around for once?!" Yami yelled, his voice echoing in the silence that followed.

Frowning, Mokuba quickly set down a glass of orange juice on the table and left the room.

"… Shit," Yami muttered, even as he grabbed the glass and proceeded to polish off the juice in a few gulps. Seto wordlessly went and got him more, along with a box of sugar-laden cereal.

"You didn't have to yell at him…" Seto finally had to say, though the second the words left his mouth, he wished he could take them back. Yami was just glaring at him, even as he began inelegantly gulping down handfuls of Lucky Charms.

_I didn't! I mean, I was yelling at you and he just happened to be there, okay? I'll apologize to him later,_ Yami testily sniped. _By the gods, can't I just eat in peace? Why do you have to harp on me like this?_

_I shouldn't have said… _The brunette sighed. _Look, I'm sorry, I really am. What can I do to make things right? _

Yami ignored him for a minute. Then he finally grumbled, _You're an idiot… _

_Sometimes._

Yami snorted. Without skipping a beat, he continued. _A stubborn, insensitive, prickish…_

Seto couldn't help but smile a tiny bit. At least Yami was still talking to him_. I know. I can't help it, I guess. _He reached out slowly to put a hand on Yami's shoulder, relaxing a little when his boyfriend didn't pull away. _But I think I have an idea of what I can do to make things a little better. Are you willing to hear me out?_

_Actions speak louder than words, Seto._

_Well, then shall I show you?_ He let his hand slide down to Yami's wrist, grasping it lightly in invitation, careful to avoid actually tugging on it lest that piss the younger man off all over again.

After another minute, Yami finally relented, pushing aside the cereal box and letting Seto help him to his feet. Though he still felt sweaty and shaky, the worst of the dizzy spell had passed, taking with it some of his anger and frustration. And he had to admit he was curious as to what his lover had in mind, as he had such an earnest look on his face.

He'd kick his ass if he was thinking about sex though.

* * *

The whirlpool tub. Seto had led him to the master bathroom, to the frickin' bathtub. Did the brunette actually think they had time to screw around when their friends were due to arrive in less than two hours?!

"What the hell? We don't have time for this…" Yami protested as soon as Seto started filling the tub.

"Like I said, I'll help you with whatever you need to get done for tonight. Prep work, cooking, set up, anything you ask. And this'll take ten minutes, top. Besides, you're not going to get anything done right if you're still pissed off, so just let me do this for you, okay?"

Yami didn't want to relax. He didn't want to enjoy himself. But maybe Seto had had the right idea. As soon as the bath was drawn and Yami sank into the hot water, he could feel some of the tension in his shoulders floating away. And then the brunette began undressing…

"Seto…"

"I promise, I'll be good. I don't want to fuck right now anyway," Seto assured him as he climbed into the tub as well. "How about a backrub instead?"

Yami didn't give an answer, but he scooted forward a bit to give Seto ample room to get in behind him. The taller man took the hint and slid in behind Yami, then instead of groping his lover like he normally would, began lathering up Yami's back, enjoying the feel of smooth skin beneath his fingertips and the sight of dragons emerging glistening from a splash of soap and water.

Yeah, so maybe he had lied. Fucking would be nice. He still felt a little on edge, and an outlet would be more than welcome. Besides, he'd rather see that same back glistening with sweat instead. But he had made a promise, so he'd behave himself.

"I should do this more often. You like it, don't you?" Seto asked when he heard a blissful sigh escape from his boyfriend.

"Mmhmm."

"I suppose I can do that," he said as he began tracing his name into Yami's back with the pads of his fingertips. Then he sighed, and the tone of his voice grew a little more serious. "I have a terrible temper, I know," he began telling Yami's back. "But the thought of something happening to Mokuba, or Noa, or to you…" He gulped reflexively. Suddenly sobered, he slipped his arms around Yami's shoulders; his legs braced themselves on either side of the shorter man's hips. He took in a long, slow breath, then let it go against Yami's neck. "I never want to see the police standing on my doorstep again, telling me, 'I'm so sorry…'"

"I know. But the same applies to you. How do you think we'd feel if something happened to you because you ran off half cocked? We deserve better than that, Seto. You deserve better."

"... If you say so."

"Seto!"

"What?"

That last utterance sounded so weary that Yami momentarily let the matter drop and instead leaned back a little harder so that even more of his body pressed against Seto's. He couldn't help but note how ironic it was that he was comforting Seto when his boyfriend had initially brought him upstairs to make him feel better.

… And from the other side of the dividing wall, Seto's father bowed his head in guilt. He hadn't realized that his death had haunted his son so much, even now… He had hoped that time would've healed the wound, as the saying went. He had half-expected Seto to forget, because he'd been so young then. But now he realized, the scar left behind would never really go away.

"You deserve better," Yami repeated softly, his fingers now gently playing over the arms embracing him. Seto melted against his lover a little, his shoulders relaxing as if he'd been the one on the receiving end of a backrub.

But the young CEO wasn't the only one comforted by the gesture. Seto's father found himself thinking that it really made no sense for him to worry about Seto's preference for men when there were so many things that mattered more. Like love, for one, and understanding… and Yami obviously had both in spades. There probably wasn't anyone else in the world – male or female – who was a better match for his son.

As if to confirm his father's thoughts, Seto's face colored slightly as he mulled over Yami's comment. Though the thought had crossed his mind to brush it off yet again, he couldn't do it. He really was touched by his lover's concern. "Thank you," he said softly, then after another pause, "So I take it you're not still mad at me? Even if I am a… what was that you said? A 'stubborn, insensitive, prickish idiot?'"

"Something like that." Yami sighed, but there was a hint of a smile on his face as well. "Getting mad at you is one thing. Staying mad at you is another," he admitted. And wasn't that the truth? He had been angry with Seto so many times in the past – furious enough to nearly kill him – but in every instance, the anger never lasted as long as he thought it would.

On the other hand, he wouldn't have felt so forgiving if they were still out terrorizing the citizens of Domino. It was good to be home, to be soothed by a hot bath and the hands kneading his back, to have at least a little something in his stomach to tide him over until dinner. Not that that would help his enchiladas get rolled any quicker…

Seto was quick to pick up on his boyfriend's thoughts. _Well, I have another idea… _

_Hm?_

_You said you wanted to make enchiladas or something right? What if we do something more like a buffet? Stuff your own burrito or make your own nachos or whatever? They use similar ingredients right? And that'd take the assembly work out of it. _

Yami pursed his lips a little. It wasn't a bad idea, and they'd done similar things in the past… The more he rolled it around in his head, the better it sounded. They'd save time and effort and since their friends all had slightly different tastes anyway, giving them their choice of fillings or toppings would be a hit with them too. "Hmm… I like it."

Even with Seto behind him, the former Pharaoh could feel the responding grin. "Good," the brunette purred.

"But that doesn't mean you get to slack," Yami warned in a teasing voice.

"Hmph!"

Yami just smiled. "Well, we better get to it," he said, gently pushing Seto's arms off him and standing up in the tub to get out, the water sheeting off his backside.

It was perhaps just a little too much temptation, and Seto was so damn relieved to have Yami forgive him… He immediately latched back onto his boyfriend. "I lied. I wanna fuck you," he moaned. He nipped at the tattoo closest to his face.

"Seto!" Yami growled as he twisted out of his lover's grasp. "You said you'd behave!"

"It's not my fault. You're the one shaking an ass in my face!" Then a big, catlike grin broke across his face. "Besides, admit it… you'd be mad if I didn't try to molest you."

Yami couldn't help but laugh at that even as he began drying off. _I guess you were right…_

_Hmm?_

_About the oysters. You don't need 'em!_

Seto simply smirked and began quickly drying himself off as well before chasing after Yami as he went to pick out some fresh clothing.

_They're quite a pair,_ the man commented once the young couple left. He and his wife were still in the bathroom, still behind the dividing wall, hanging back to give the two a bit more privacy.

_Dear?_

_I approve,_ he said simply, knowing that his wife would understand what he was referring to.

She did, but the look on her face told him that she wasn't entirely convinced. _It's… it's not that I don't… _She faltered a moment as she recalled the things she'd witnessed earlier: Seto's terrible temper, his argument with Yami, that… sexual act in the car. _Even now, it's a lot to take in, and I hadn't expected… _

_He isn't a child anymore, _the man said soberly.

She gave a heavy sigh. _I know that! But this isn't easy for me! I know what he's been through, that I wasn't there for him! And I still can't do anything for him…_

_At least he has someone to support him now. That's the important thing._

_But they were fighting just a little while ago!_

_All couples have disputes. What matters is how they resolve it – look at how quick and eager they were to make up with one another! Besides, the way Seto looks at him, no… the way they look at each other… It reminds me a little of us when we fell in love. That's how I know it'll all work out. _

She sighed again. She knew he was right. So why couldn't she just accept it? What would it take? Concrete, irrefutable evidence?

_Think of the smile he had in those pictures in Mokuba's album. Then think of the one he had just moments ago. They're the same, _her husband was quick to supply.

She felt a similar smile creep across her face as everything finally clicked into place. He was right. It really wasn't just coincidence that that smile began appearing at the same time Yami did – that was the smile of a man in love. And the grin Yami gave Seto in return had the same emotion behind it.

_You're welcome._

Feeling like a weight had lifted off her shoulders, the woman suddenly found herself eager to get back to "spending time" with her boys. She wanted to see that grin on Seto's face again – photos just didn't do it justice. _I think we've given them enough time to get ready, don't you think, Dear?_

He nodded and reached out for her hand, happy and relieved as she was. _So do you really think they can communicate without speaking? _he had to ask, returning to an earlier topic of discussion.

_Why not? We've done it a little bit too. It's just a couple thing._

* * *

Seto's suggestion proved to be the perfect solution to all of Yami's concerns. By the time Mokuba and Noa joined them in the kitchen with offers of assistance, most of the food was ready to go. The only things left were the carnitas and guacamole, but with Yami finishing up the former and Seto on the latter, they were making fairly quick work of it.

"Wow, and here I was thinking you guys would need our help," Noa commented as he shot a glance at the clock.

"Well, I wouldn't turn it down," Yami responded. He looked around, assessing their progress. "If you could, start setting this stuff out in the dining room?" He tossed his head at some plates and bowls, and the green-haired teen complied after a brief nod.

Seto raised his head as Noa left the room. He looked at Yami. They hadn't spoken much once they'd gotten down to work, each engrossed in his own tasks and thoughts, but there were things far more important than preparing for a party. _It's 'later' now._

_Hm? _It took Yami a moment to realize what the taller man was referring to. _Ah… yeah._ He cleared his throat, then said, "Mokuba… sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to yell..."

Mokuba blinked, then shrugged off the unexpected apology. "Sure you did. But that's okay. I know you weren't mad at me or anything… you just weren't feeling well."

"Still, that's no excuse…" Yami began again, but Mokuba just shook his head.

"You're allowed to get mad, Yami. And today's been a little hard on everyone, so I totally understand. So don't worry about it, okay?" He gave Yami his best reassuring smile, the one that would get even Seto to settle down, and received a lopsided one in turn. "Jeez, you guys didn't really think I was upset, did you?" he asked after a moment's pause, his question addressed to both Seto and Yami.

"No, but I wanted to explain myself, regardless," the former Pharaoh responded.

"You just left the room really quick…" Seto answered at almost the same time.

"Yeah, because whatever was going on between you two… well, was between the two of you." The black-haired teen shrugged again, then walked over to where Seto was laboring over a molcajete and carefully put his hand over his brother's. "Nii-sama, it's okay, really," he assured him. Seto was pulverizing the avocados into an unrecognizable paste.

The brunette sighed and began chewing on his lower lip. The problem with cooking was it gave him time to think, and he'd always had a pretty vivid imagination. And that meant his mind had been darting back to where it shouldn't have, replaying all the events of the day, from the earlier arguments with Yami to the accident… "Are you sure you and Noa are all right?" he asked Mokuba in a lowered voice, because he didn't want Yami to butt in and tell him he worried too much. He didn't think he worried too much. He was just a realist, that was all.

"We're fine."

"… I just wanted to be sure."

"I could ask the same of you." Seto made a face, and Mokuba instantly felt bad. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," he said as he wrapped his arms around his brother's waist and hugged him from behind. "I worry about you too, you know."

"You're starting to sound like Yami," Seto complained, but there was a note of relief in his voice. Mokuba wasn't upset. He wasn't injured, scared or shaken. He was a little worried, over Seto's health of all things, but the elder Kaiba figured that was okay. That was just part of being a brother.

Mokuba just smiled, even though Seto couldn't see it. "I love you, Nii-sama," he mumbled into his brother's back.

Seto leaned back slightly and let Mokuba brace him while his emotions washed over him in a gentle wave. "Love you too," he finally responded in an even softer voice, as if they were sharing a secret.

"I know." Mokuba gave Seto a final squeeze, then released him. "But I like hearing it, and I know you do as well." He could just see Yami and Noa out of the corner of his eye. The two were purposely giving them some space, and he was grateful for that, because that was what Seto needed.

Of course, there were two others in the room who had witnessed the exchange, and they were just as touched by the scene. The man had never really bothered getting to know his younger son. The woman had never had the chance. But now they both could see, Seto wasn't the only one who'd grown beyond the child they remembered – Mokuba too was becoming into a fine young man. Almost an adult in his sensibilities, like his brother, but at the same time, bright eyed like a kid his age ought to be. They knew Seto had a lot to do with that, but they hadn't considered the reverse… that maybe Mokuba too had helped Seto grow into someone who was defined by more than just his responsibilities.

_They'll really be all right. Because they know they can rely on each other, and their boyfriends too,_ she said aloud, though mostly to herself. Funny… the words almost sounded weird because the concept was so new… and yet she had to admit, she could get used to thinking of things that way. She could get used to Seto being with Yami too, because he'd obviously played a big part in getting Seto to where he was now; how could she not approve?

Now truthfully, she was a little less sure about Noa simply because she'd only seen him during the hours her sons were at work, but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as well, as her husband's evaluation of him had been pretty favorable. And more importantly, Seto and Mokuba trusted him. And she was tired of doubting their judgement just because she hadn't wanted to see the truth that was right before her face: her boys were gay. Just because it wasn't what she'd expected of them didn't mean there was anything wrong with it.

_That's the first time I've heard you say 'boyfriends' without hesitation, _the man pointed out, smiling gently.

She smiled back. _Why not? It's the truth after all…_

* * *

Yami had talked about having people over. Seto had helped him whip up an assortment of food, enough to feed an army. But Seto's parents still hadn't known what to expect beyond a simple gathering of acquaintances until the guests began arriving, surprising the pair with the friendships their sons had forged.

Yugi, Anzu and Sugoroku were the first ones there. Of course the spirits had been intensely interested in "meeting" them; they had wanted to see what Yami's family was like. And the Mutous didn't disappoint.

The first thing they noticed were the physical traits, like the crazy hair and the height – or the lack thereof – that ran in the family. But it didn't take long for them to see just how different Yami and Yugi were. While they looked a lot like one another on the surface, Yami had an edge to him, an air of danger, whereas Yugi was a little sunnier, friendlier… and a whole lot straighter. He was a good, normal kid with a nice, normal girlfriend to match. His "normalcy" should've made his twin seem that much weirder, but instead there was something reassuring about it, as it seemed to have the effect of grounding the crimson-eyed man, as if Yami needed Yugi just as Seto needed Mokuba.

And then there was Sugoroku. Amongst the teens and young adults, his age alone was enough to make him stand out. But it was more than just that. He spoke to Seto with a parent's affection. And despite the faint confusion stirring in his eyes, Seto seemed to tolerate it fairly well, even calling the old man "Jii-chan" like everyone else, the softening of his voice making it was clear that he did it because he meant it, not because he was expected to use it.

The four of them – Yugi, Yami, Seto and Sugoroku – were standing in front of the stove now, shoulder to shoulder due to lack of space, even with six burners. They were discussing, of all things, pork.

"I wanted it to crisp up a little more," Yami was saying as he scrutinized a piece of meat with a slight frown. It was cooked all the way through and tender enough to easily pull apart, but was missing the bit of crust that would've developed had he more time to work on reducing the liquids.

"It might dry out too much if you try to cook it down on high though," Sugoroku sagely pointed out.

Yami sighed, cursing the perfectionist within. "Yeah, I know. But maybe if I turn it up just a bit more it'll be okay?"

"I think it tastes good as is," Yugi said. But seeing as how his other half remained unconvinced, he slung an arm around the former Pharaoh's shoulders and hugged him, pressing his cheek against Yami's shoulder companionably. "Plus it looks delicious too. I'm definitely going to be having a serving of this!"

Seto couldn't help but give Yugi a sort of amused look, though on his face it was more like a wolf eyeing a sheep. He shook his head. "It's a good thing you're not someone else… I'd rip your head off."

"Seto…" Sugoroku sighed.

"_Seto…_" Yami growled at the same time, though he was still pushing carnitas around in the pot.

Yugi gave the pair a small smile in return, though he did shift his weight away from Yami so that he wasn't leaning against him so much. Seto noticed it and shrugged; he didn't want the little duelist to think that he'd been making an actual threat against him. But at the same time, the stupidly jealous part of him had been happy to see Yugi back off.

Yami sighed. "He's only being like this because he's had a bad day."

"I know," said Yugi.

It was Seto's turn to snarl. "You _know?_" he asked, giving Yami an accusatory look.

"I don't know the details. It's not my business," Yugi smoothly replied, taking the heat off his other half. "But even I know you well enough to know that you only get like this when you have a reason."

"Hn," was Seto's very predictable response.

"That's how friends are," Yugi added, as if he'd known Seto was struggling to come up with an explanation of his own. "We understand each other. And we worry about each other."

Yugi was harmless. But the young CEO found it a little unnerving that someone like that could read him so easily, though he knew that he couldn't complain too much about it either. Yugi was one of the most trustworthy, honest people Seto had ever known. But that didn't mean he was a wimp or pushover either – despite his stature, he'd stick up for what he believed in. He wasn't afraid of confronting Seto, to point out that he'd overlooked something important…

_Uh, thanks for the warning earlier, about Yami…_ Seto began hesitantly. Talking to Yugi via mind link wasn't the easiest thing; theirs wasn't a "natural" connection like Yami to Yugi, or Yami to Seto. He usually couldn't feel what Yugi was feeling, which suited him just fine. But with Yami acting as a switchboard of sorts, they could at least converse as long as both parties were willing.

_Huh? _

_This afternoon. I didn't notice…_

_Oh, when his blood sugar crashed?_

Unable to sufficiently convey images to Yugi via thought, Seto physically nodded, a slight grimace marring his features.

_It's okay. He wasn't in any danger. He just was starting to get dizzy, so I wanted to make sure he didn't stumble into anything or fall._

"But I shouldn't have needed you to tell me! What the hell kind of boyfriend am I, to not even notice that much?" Seto hissed, unaware that he had slipped out of mental conversation and that his words had attracted the ears of the other two men by the stove.

Yugi leveled a look at him. "If it was anything serious, you would've noticed. But he's completely fine. And he isn't mad about it either," he stated plainly, and Yami gave him a minute nod in agreement. "Isn't that all that matters?"

"… No."

He was really beating himself up over nothing. That was how Seto was, but Yugi couldn't help but sigh internally as he tried to think of what to respond with. Obviously he couldn't just tell him that it was no big deal, just forget about it, when Seto had convinced himself it was, but then the brunette surprised him by saying, "I won't let it happen again," with such conviction that all Yugi could do was nod and accept that as the final word. And the timing couldn't be better; Anzu, Mokuba and Noa were just walking back into the room after going over music selections for the night.

"Um… what's up?" Mokuba asked, seeing four pairs of eyes staring back at them.

"Nothing," said Seto, but Mokuba knew better than to call him out on it. No one in the room looked upset and everyone still had their limbs intact, so whatever had been going on couldn't have been that big of a deal.

"Nothing? It looks like cooking to me," the teen joked, skillfully maneuvering everyone's thoughts into safer waters. It seemed to be working, so he continued on. "Smells great – I can hardly wait to eat! When's everyone else supposed to get here, anyhow?"

Yami looked up and made a face at the clock, then turned that same look onto his carnitas, as if that would be enough to crisp them up. "Oh… any minute now…"

In the end, the carnitas made it to the table without ever developing that perfect crust, because Yami's quote of "any minute now" turned out to be a pretty accurate estimation as the rest of Yugi-tachi began arriving in small clumps. The trio of Shizuka, Honda and Otogi showed up first, followed by Malik and Bakura, and finally, the doorbell rang one last time…

Normally Mokuba would've gotten it, but he had gone upstairs to fetch a CD, so Yami went to answer it, Seto trailing behind him out of habit more than anything else.

As expected, it was Jounouichi – looking a bit henpecked and beleaguered – and Mai, but there was another woman with them…

"I hope you don't mind, but Viv was in town and decided to pay us a visit, and it wasn't right telling her to go back to the hotel when it's New Year's Eve, you know?" Mai explained.

Yami just shrugged. He didn't mind at all. "The more the merrier, right? Nice to see you again, Vivian."

"Oh honey, call me Viv! And thank you for welcoming me into your lovely home," Vivian Wong all but purred as she batted her lashes. She couldn't help it; she was a gold digger at heart and saw nothing wrong with it. She'd been gawking at the mansion ever since they'd pulled past the endless brick and iron fence and the suited men staffing the security booth, up the long drive threading through manicured landscaping. Why, even the air in the mansion smelled of money! And as much as she liked and respected her friend Mai, she couldn't understand why the attractive blonde had married a younger man with almost nothing to his name, when surely someone like Seto Kaiba could've hooked her up with a wealthy businessman or something...

"He's not interested… and neither am I!" Seto yelled, seeing as Vivian had immediately switched her attention to him. But she merely giggled in response, thinking it unlikely that the young CEO would kick her out right after his boyfriend had welcomed her in.

Mai laughed along with her friend, though she was thinking the opposite – Seto _would _throw the Chinese woman out of his house if she pressed too many of his buttons. So she suggested, "Let's go say hi to everyone else," and as soon as the other woman smiled in agreement, the two sauntered off to terrorize whoever crossed their paths.

Jou exhaled in relief as soon as the ladies were out of sight. "Man, that woman has been drivin' me nuts! 'Your car sucks' and 'Can't you get a nicer apartment?' Sheesh." he complained, though he didn't really expect Yami or Seto to understand what that was like.

"Gee, I hope your wife doesn't hear you saying that about her," Mokuba remarked as he came down the stairs, grinning. "Just kidding, Jou. What woman?"

"Ms. Vivian Wong."

"Ah… I didn't know she'd be joining us."

"She just sorta showed up yesterday, outta tha' blue," Jou grumbled, and then he did a double take in Mokuba's direction. The teen cocked his head at him. "Damn… I just realized you're taller than me! Hey Yami, what've you been feedin' this kid?"

Mokuba grinned broadly at the compliment – and yes, he was a hair taller than Jou now! – while Yami couldn't resist answering, "Oysters, apparently."

"Uh… aren't those like um… aphrodisi-whatchamacallits?" Jou asked. Mokuba raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, while Yami just gave the blonde man a funny look. "Man, I prolly don't wanna know, huh?"

"Don't overthink it, Mutt, or your brain might explode since it's not used to being called upon for anything," Seto instantly threw back, laughing. Ah, it felt great having someone to pick on.

"Grr, why you…!"

As the two continued their usual routine of throwing verbal jabs at one another, Seto's mother thought to herself, _It's strange, but in a way, I'm happy he's arguing with another young man. _Seto had been so irate during his heated argument with the man who'd hit his car that it was a relief to see him snarkily bantering with a friend. Or, more precisely, it was a relief to see that he understood the difference between the two situations, since he'd seemed to have some difficulty relating to others. It was good to see him with people his own age, ones that weren't employees or lackeys, ones that weren't expecting anything beyond a fun New Year's Eve with pals. Well, for the most part. She'd have to keep an eye on that Vivian woman. She'd looked a little too dazzled by the mansion and the wealth and status that obviously went along with it. Or perhaps she was overreacting, since Yami was there and would undoubtedly keep the woman at bay.

Thankfully, despite the female spirit's niggling concerns, the evening only improved as it progressed. Seto had seemed fairly relaxed at the start of it, about as relaxed as he ever got, but then he really began mellowing out as the hours passed by. Dinner went smoothly, with the guests raving over the thoughtfulness of their hosts in presenting a variety of dishes that suited all tastes – and Seto was only too happy to point out that it had been _his_ idea – and everyone, both young and old, enjoyed the game of Taboo that followed. Even Vivian managed to behave herself well enough to not get kicked out, though Yami did exactly as expected, sitting on Seto's lap, as if to oh-so-subtly remind her that certain young CEOs were already taken… and uninterested in women. And far from being offended, Seto seemed amused by his lover's possessive gesture, with his team's victory at Taboo solidifying his good mood.

Eventually the last hour of the year arrived and the minutes began their inevitable march towards midnight. Bottles of bubbly and sparkling cider appeared as conversation in the room turned towards the recollection of memories made during the last year. Mokuba summarized it as being "a good year" and Seto agreed, even though some pretty bad things had happened to him – the opening of his new theme park had nearly been ruined by Siegfried's machinations, he'd gotten pneumonia right after… But he'd improved his relationship with Noa tenfold and even managed to forge a real connection with Sugoroku, so in his mind, it had all worked out for the best.

… But for his mother, who couldn't hear the optimistic musings that her elder son silently shared with his lover, all the final moments brought were an upwelling of anxiety and worry. She hadn't known that Seto had been so sick. She hadn't known that his company had been at such risk. Given more time, she might've been able to dig up some of Seto's medical records, to make sure a doctor had seen him, to make sure there were no lingering effects on his overall health. Given more time, she could've rummaged around for company documents detailing KaibaLand America's current status, to help alleviate her concerns about their financial stability. Given more time…

As much as she tried to fight it, she couldn't help the feeling of panic that suddenly swept over her. She didn't want to leave, not yet! Twenty-four hours just wasn't enough! She knew she ought to be grateful for every second she'd been allowed to spend with her boys. But it seemed almost crueler that she'd been allowed to see the life she could've been a part of, now that it all was slipping away between her fingers, insubstantial as they were.

Would they really be all right? If the past were any indication, Mokuba would be, protected by his brother, cocooned by their friends. But Seto had never been good at taking care of himself… Would having a lover really be enough to change that if the brunette really was that determined to put himself on the line for his company, for his family? It'd be terrible, just too terrible, if what she'd seen turned out to be nothing more than a peaceful lull and five years down the road, she were to come back and find out that things had gone disastrously wrong.

_It's okay, my dear. It's okay. This is the hardest part, I know, _her husband whispered, his own voice heavy with emotion. He wrapped his arms around her and held on tight

_It's not okay! I can't just leave!_ she wailed, even as she felt a powerful, unseen force drawing around them to pull them away from the scene. A quick glance at a nearby clock confirmed it - there was only a minute until midnight!

Oh, he was aware of how short their time was growing, as much as she was. But he tried to keep his head, tried to be the support that she needed. They didn't have a choice in staying or leaving. _I wish I could buy you another minute with them… even another second. But I can't._

_I know that! I know what I want is impossible, that I'm being ungrateful, but… _She choked out the latter part of that sentence, then gave up in a fit of sobs, unable to finish.

_Shh… It'll be okay. We'll get through this, together._ He just held her tightly, as tightly as Seto was now holding Yami as they began counting down the final seconds of the year.

"Five! Four! Three! Two…"

It was a struggle, but she managed to lift her head in time to catch the two lovers kissing as all around them, their friends celebrated and wished each other well for the new year. It was the last thing she saw before being abruptly snapped back into the afterlife.

But despite the tears, a small smile emerged. There'd been so much hope and camaraderie and love in that room, at that last moment… If even she'd been able to feel it, through the barrier between life and death, surely it'd be enough to protect and carry her sons through whatever trials and tribulations the future brought, right? She had to believe in that. She needed that hope herself, to carry her through the next five years.

And she leaned back heavily against her husband as she began the long countdown once again.

* * *

~ OWARI ~

Author's Notes:  
- Vivian dropped into the fic unexpectedly, just as she did at Jou and Mai's apartment. There's not really much to glean from her presence here... I just find her to be amusing.  
- Re: the game Taboo. A minor descriptive detail (I could've just left it as "a board game"), but I couldn't resist using it because I have a previous arc named "Taboo" as well.  
- I had originally planned for a happy ending, not a bittersweet one... Originally it was going to end at Seto and Yami's midnight kiss. But shortly before I hit that point Seto's mother began panicking at the prospect of leaving, and I realized, in the interest of making a well rounded story, I had to explore that part of her feelings too, because for her, there wasn't going to be a happy ending. That said, I tried to keep some humor going in this chapter since I didn't want it to feel depressing, but there just wasn't any getting around Seto's mother's reaction towards the end.


End file.
